Peddlers or Preachers?

Scripture Focus

“For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 2:17 (ESV)

Devotional Thought

If there’s one thing I’ve never enjoyed doing, it’s trying to sell something to someone. That particular disposition has probably worked against me a time or two over the years. I tend to undersell myself, and sometimes even the ministries I’m involved in, because I simply don’t like the feeling that I’m trying to convince someone to buy into something. When I was in seminary, I worked for a company that sold professional reference materials to CPAs and financial planners. Part of my job involved making cold calls to sell books to people who hadn’t asked me to call them in the first place. I absolutely hated those calls. I always felt as though I was trying to manipulate someone into buying something they might not really need. Now, I understand that there’s nothing inherently wrong with sales or earning a living by selling a legitimate product. But I’ve never been comfortable with the idea of pressuring someone into a decision for my own benefit.

As we come to the end of 2 Corinthians 2, Paul addresses something far more serious than an uncomfortable sales pitch. Apparently, there were people who had discovered that preaching and teaching God’s Word could be a profitable business. Rather than approaching the ministry of the Gospel with sincerity and a genuine concern for the souls of those who listened, they treated God’s Word as something to be marketed and sold. Their goal wasn’t necessarily to communicate what people needed to hear, but to tell them what they wanted to hear. After all, a message that makes people feel good about themselves is often easier to sell than one that calls them to repentance. Paul refers to these individuals as “peddlers of God’s word.” What a disturbing description of someone who claims to speak on behalf of God!

Unfortunately, we don’t have to look very far to find examples of this same problem today. Turn on certain religious television programs, or scroll through some of the religious content on social media, and you may find yourself listening to something that sounds more like a used car salesman’s pitch than the proclamation of the Gospel. There are promises of health, wealth, prosperity, and extraordinary blessings, but somewhere along the way, the message seems to become more concerned with your wallet than your heart. You begin waiting for the catch, the fine print, or the strings attached to whatever blessing is being promised. Sometimes the preacher presents himself as someone with a special anointing or prophetic authority, suggesting that access to God’s blessings somehow depends upon your financial response to his ministry. When the message of God’s grace becomes a marketing strategy for personal enrichment, something has gone terribly wrong.

And I think one of the saddest consequences of this kind of preaching is the damage it does to the credibility of the Gospel itself. People who have been manipulated, deceived, or financially exploited in the name of Jesus may become suspicious of anyone who opens a Bible and begins to preach. The genuine message of salvation through Jesus Christ becomes associated in their minds with the dishonesty of those who have misrepresented it. That’s tragic because the Gospel is not a product we’re trying to sell. It is the good news of what God has accomplished through the death and resurrection of His Son. It is a message of grace that cannot be purchased, earned, or obtained through a financial contribution. The Gospel is not for sale because Jesus Christ has already paid the price for our redemption.

Paul provides a beautiful contrast to these peddlers of God’s Word by describing three characteristics of genuine Gospel ministry. First, he says that he and his fellow workers speak with sincerity. That word stands in direct opposition to the kind of manipulation employed by those who are more concerned with personal profit than spiritual transformation. Paul wasn’t looking for the right combination of words to close a sale. He was communicating the truth of what God had done through Jesus Christ. He had personally experienced the transforming power of the Gospel, and he desperately wanted others to experience that same grace. His message wasn’t designed to flatter his audience or tell them whatever would make them happy. It was an honest proclamation of the truth, even when that truth was uncomfortable or unpopular.

Second, Paul says that they speak as those commissioned by God. There is an important distinction here. Every believer has a responsibility to bear witness to Jesus Christ, but God also calls and equips particular individuals to serve as pastors, teachers, and proclaimers of His Word. That calling isn’t something a person simply assumes because he has discovered an audience willing to listen or a way to make a comfortable living. It carries a responsibility to faithfully communicate the message God has entrusted to him. And the authority of that message doesn’t come from the personality, popularity, or supposed special status of the messenger. It comes from God and must always remain subject to the truth of His Word. A genuine calling from God never gives someone permission to manipulate people in God’s name. Rather, it places upon that person a solemn responsibility to speak faithfully on His behalf.

Finally, Paul says that they speak “in the sight of God” and “in Christ.” I think this may be the most sobering description of all. The preacher doesn’t merely stand before a congregation or an audience. He stands before God. Every sermon, every Bible lesson, every devotional thought, and every proclamation of the Gospel is spoken in the presence of the One whose Word is being communicated. That ought to give every preacher and teacher a healthy sense of humility and accountability. We aren’t free to reshape God’s message to make it more profitable, more popular, or more appealing to the people listening. We are servants of Jesus Christ, entrusted with a message that belongs to Him. And one day, we will answer to Him for how faithfully we handled that responsibility.

There’s another important distinction worth making here. Paul isn’t suggesting that those who preach the Gospel should never receive financial support for their ministry. In fact, elsewhere he teaches that those who proclaim the Gospel have a legitimate right to receive support from their work (1 Corinthians 9:14). The issue isn’t whether a minister receives compensation. The issue is whether the message is being faithfully proclaimed or manipulated for personal gain. There is a tremendous difference between being supported so that you can devote yourself to ministry and using ministry as a means of enriching yourself. One recognizes the value of Gospel ministry; the other exploits it.

As I think about Paul’s words, I’m reminded that the Gospel carries both an extraordinary promise and a solemn warning. There is grace, forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life offered freely through faith in Jesus Christ. But there is also the reality of sin, judgment, and the desperate need for repentance. We cannot faithfully proclaim one while deliberately concealing the other simply because we think it might make our message more appealing. Our desire should never be to manipulate someone into an emotional response, a financial contribution, or even an outward profession of faith. Our desire should be to communicate the truth of the Gospel so clearly and sincerely that people understand both their need for a Savior and the wonderful grace God has provided through His Son.

And that brings us back to the question Paul raises through his contrast between peddlers and sincere servants of Christ. Are we trying to sell people something, or are we faithfully sharing what God has entrusted to us? Whether we’re preaching from a pulpit, teaching a Sunday School class, leading a Bible study, or simply sharing our faith with a friend, our responsibility is the same. We must speak sincerely, remain faithful to God’s Word, and remember whose presence we stand in as we speak.

We aren’t salesmen trying to close a deal. We’re ambassadors carrying a message from the King. And we should proclaim that message with sincerity, humility, and urgency, calling people to repent and place their faith in Jesus Christ as though their lives depended upon it.

Because eternally speaking, they do.

Reflection Questions

How can we recognize the difference between someone who sincerely proclaims God’s Word and someone who uses religion to manipulate people for personal gain?
Have I ever been more interested in hearing a message that makes me feel good than one that challenges me to repent or grow spiritually?
Whether I’m teaching others or simply sharing my faith, am I more concerned about how people respond to me or whether I’m faithfully communicating God’s truth?
How would remembering that I speak and live in the sight of God change the way I approach opportunities to share the Gospel?

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for the precious gift of Your Word and the glorious message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Forgive us for the times we have treated Your truth lightly or have been more concerned with pleasing people than honoring You. Give us discernment to recognize those who would distort Your Word for personal gain, and protect those who have been hurt or deceived by such teaching. Help those of us who have opportunities to share Your Word to do so with sincerity, humility, and faithfulness. Remind us that we speak in Your presence and that the message we carry belongs to You. May we never seek to manipulate others, but instead faithfully proclaim the grace and truth found in Jesus Christ. Give us compassion for the lost and an urgency to share the Gospel, knowing that eternity is at stake. In Jesus’ name, amen.